Family Worker - Link Role

Permanent, Full Time

£26,801 to £30,906 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 7th March 2021

This is a Fixed term or secondment opportunity for 12 months (please speak to your current manager if you are considering a secondment)

In Essex County Council we are "Serious about Social Work" and fully embrace alternatively qualified practitioners as part of this. Having recently won the Best Social Work Employer of the Year and been awarded 'Outstanding' by Ofsted this is an exciting time to join us. As if that wasn't enough, Essex has also been announced as a Partner in Practice by the Department of Education, and the Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) is the only Local Authority team in the country to be accredited by BASW as a CPD provider. We have invested in our workforce and created a positive environment for our workers to make a difference and achieve change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based practice. We have supported our staff to understand systemic theoretical framework and models underpinning our interventions; to have access to the right tools, equipment and resources; and also, the right supervision, training and learning opportunities they need to be strong practitioners.

The Team

Family Solutions was established across Essex to work holistically with disadvantaged families, with complex needs to enable them to make significant and sustainable positive changes to their lives.

The Family Worker (Link Role) is a key role within the service and will work closely with families to build strong relationships, based on respect and positive regard.

Each Family Worker (Link Role) has a key area of responsibility which includes developing an area of interest and assisting other team members with work relating to this area.

The Role

• The post holder will be required to provide specialist advice and support and co-ordinate provision of support from other services and partner agencies, as required.
• The post holder will be expected to have or be able to develop considerable knowledge of their thematic area and act as a source of advice, guidance and support to team colleagues, through (for example) one-one support, leading subject matter development sessions and being the main link within the team to organisations relating to the thematic role they hold.
• Family Workers (Link Role) will be expected to be able to share their extensive generic knowledge around working with families with multiple and complex needs with colleagues, support in case discussions and mentor and guide colleagues in the team with less experience.
• Family Workers (Link Role) will be expected to work with families whose needs are complex and provide a range of interventions to affect good outcomes.
• Family Workers (Link Role) will feel confident to make appropriate decisions about the direction and actions required to move a case forward on a day to day basis and have the ability to recognise when key decision regarding risk/concerns need to be discussed/shared with supervisor or manager.
• The post holder will be expected to operate flexibly, working out of normal office hours when required, to best meet the needs of the service users.

What you will need

• Ideally educated to degree level or to NVQ Level 6 in a relevant area, such as social or youth work, or able to evidence equivalent level of knowledge, skills and underpinning theoretical knowledge through extensive experience in the field of work.
• Significant practical experience of working with families with multiple and complex needs whilst maintaining a focus on outcomes.
• Evidence of a commitment to on-going professional development and to the principles of evidenced based practice.
• Be able to demonstrate a track record of building and sustaining positive professional relationship with individuals and families with multiple and complex needs.
• Experience of applying a solution focused approach and providing practical advice and support to families to enable them to achieve positive and sustainable outcome.
• Ability to work in partnership with others to maximise outcomes for families in line with the Family Solutions operating principles.
• Effective communication skills, good problem solving and assessment skills, reliability and good time management skills.

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team and to use supervision appropriately.

· In the context of your role you are required to be mobile throughout an operational area to ensure that you fulfil, effectively, the duties and requirements of your post as set in the job profile and person specification. Hence, a driver licence and vehicle are required.

As part of employment with Essex County Council should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please visit: https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. For more information please use the following link: https://www.workingforessex.com/working-here/pay-reward/

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is key to our success.

If you have any queries regarding this role, or require anything further, please email or call us on 0333 013 5888. Lines are open Monday to Friday 08:30 - 16.30.